Mucin-dissolving agent



Patented @ch 23, @230 entrees stares CLABENGE G. VOG'I, OF PITTSBURGH,

T GLENN F. BOW, 0F M anew PENNSYLV, ASSTGKOR Uh THREE-FOURTES ONT, PENNSYLVANIA, AND @NE-TQTH TO revenue. v

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Mucin'-Dissolv ls creted it is held in solution by the alkaline character of the secretion. For example, the

saliva contains mucin which is-held in so-' lution, the saliva being slightly but suficiently alkalinefor this purpose.- The mucin, however, is deposited from the saliva upon the surfaces of the, teeth in the form of thin films or plaques. The saliva is not sufiiciently alkalineto rla-dissolve the mucin plaques. The mucin plaques apparently act as a natural protection to the tooth structure against the action of fruit acids, vetc. When the mucin plaques are naturally periodically removed, as on the lingual surofaces, which are polished by the motion of 3 the tongue, or other surfaces which are pol- 'ished by the excursion of the food or by the tongue or the lips, they cause 'no tendency to caries or dental decay. 'Vqhen, however, the mucin plaques remain undisturbed, as ,on the interproximal surfaces, or on some at the buccal surfaces, they furnish the foundation for tartardeposits and harbor the lactic acid secreting micro organisms, which, according to the usually accepted theory, are the cause of the breakdown of the tooth enamel and the beginning of decay-cayities. It is, therefore, highly desirable to periodically remove the mucin plaques, artificially, particularly from the more inaccessible tooth surfaces which are not naturally cleansed cult, if not impossible, to clean with a brush.

completely --llt is also-highlydesirable to remove ad-- hering mucin from other surfaces of the body. For example," an infected area of 'mucous membrane is usually coated gWlth an concentration. and which are difigreater solubility 0 Application filed ma as, 1922. fierial no. teaser.

accumulation of secretion containing mucin. The catarrhal discharge from the nasal membranes, for example, contains mucin.

lt is highly desirable to wash out these (as-- tarrhal discharges from the nasal tissues, thus edectually cleansing the infected areas. The washing solution, to be really efi'ective, should dissolve the accumulated secretions and thoroughly cleanse the tissue.

It is also desirable to thoroughly cleanse infected areas in other parts of the body,

such for example as the vaginal or urethral v membranes.

l have discovei'ed that the objects above indicated as desirable, may tained by washing away themucinous coatings with a suitable alkaline solution. The alkaline solution must have a suficiently high hydroxyl dissolve the mucinous coating; Its alkalinity must be considerably higher than that of the original secretion in which the mucin was held in solution. For example, while the saliva is rendered alkaline by the presence of disodium phosphate and icarbonate of soda, it is not sufiiciently alkaline to be readily ation concentration to readily re-dissolve the mucin plaques once they are deposited upon the teeth I have found that these mucinous plaques, however, may be redissolved by a solution having a sufficiently high hydroxyl ion concentration.

Mlucin is a glyco-proteid. Under acid conditions itis precipitated or ,coag'ulated as an acid mucinate. The precipitated or 00- agulated acid mucinate will, however, react with alkalis or alkali salts of sullicient alkalinity to form alkali mucinates which are water soluble.

l have found that for practical results the solution for re-dissolving precipitated mucin should have an alkalinity of not less than a PR value of approximately 9.5, or, in other words, should have a minimum of approximately 3.2 x 10' normal hydroxyl ion A compound of an alkali metal should be em loyed he mucinates of the polyvalent metals are much less soluble than the mucinates of the monovalent alkali metals. While various compounds of alkali metals which yield the necessaryhydronyl ion concentration will because of the} the alkali mucinates. g

lltlil Bil " en ts of'the s 1 the same time yield the n'ecessary'hydroxyl as efiicient solvents for mucin.

'erably be fairly sta under suitable conditions dissolve mucin, I prefer to use alkali compounds which resemble the or ncipal inorganic 'constitu5 or blood stream, and .at

ion concentration. I have found that the normal or tertiary phosphates of the alkali metals, such, for example, as tri-sodium. phosphate or tri-potassium phosphate, act'.

The trisodium phosphate resembles chemically the di-sodium phosphate' of the saliva, but has a sufliciently' greater alkalinity to .re-dis solve the mucinous plaques precipitated from saliva.

lhe mucin dissolving solution should be substantially free from calcium compounds or componnds'of other polyvalent metals which will reactto formless soluble muci nates in a manner analogous to the action which such compounds have in forming in soluble soaps, as, for example, the action of limein forming insoluble lime soaps.

Thesolution should be sufiiciently dilute.

If the solution is too concentrated it will stances soluble in more dilute solutions.

Therefore, too concentrated solutions, even of the alkali; compound, should be avoided.

The solution should alsobe substantially free-from coagulants ofmucin or albumens, such, for example, as alcohol, which would, of course, by. coagulating the mucin',.prevent its dissolvin in the alkaline solution. Moreover the b0 y secretions, such,'for ex-' ample,- as the saliva and the nasal" secre-" t-ions contain albumens and other proteins in addition to mucin, and these should-not be coagulated.

The sol tion' should be non-irritatin to the tissues which are subjected'to it. Jlhe alkaline compound should beof a non-irri-- tating nature. Also, .the solution should not have toogreat a p value. It should in general not have a pg value of over about 12.5, asthis is unnecessarily strong to dis solve mucin, and, if exceeded,.might attack orir'ritatethe teeth or other tissues.-

The alkaline comlpound should also preflein water solution. While the alkalihydroxids or-alkali salts of weak acids which will yield the necessary hydroxyl concentration may be employed, I prefer to use the normal or tor-e tiary phosphates of the alkali/metals. By

.' the term ;alkali metals Ijneansodium otassium and closely related elements. he substancewhich I have generally employed is tri-sodium phosphate dissolved in water, preferably to form asolution in the neighborhood of about one-half of one F per cent stream, and "has a minimum'disturbin feet on the tissues. 'Tri-sodium phosp ate- .is, however, more alkaline than the di-s0- .dium phosphate present in the saliva. and

v The tri-sodium phosphate in limits'of the; asser mucinsolvent such as a dentifrice, without irritating the tissues.

,Tri-Sodium phosphate resembles generally the phosphates in the saliva and bloofd e blood stream, and is capable of dissolving deposited mucin; whereas the alkaline body secretions, although capable of holding mucin in-solution, do notre-dissolve the mucin once it is precipitated. This is in apparent accord with the usual chemical-law that a more active chemical agent is necessary to re-dissolve agjprecipitate than is required to f hold the pre cipitated substance in solution before precipitation.

A solution of tri-sodium phosphate has less phate-constitutin the tooth structure than does ordinary so drinking water, so that" the solution may be used with impunity as a dentifrice. The phosphates are particutooth structure is essentially tri-calcium phosphates have little, if any, solvent effect c .tri-calcium phosphate.

tion is hydrolyzed, yieldingthe necessary tri-basic phosphate, not over about one per cent ofan alkali metal chlorid, preferably sodium chlorid. This makes a substantial- 1y physiologically normal salt solution.

solvent action onthe tri-calcium phosdilute solu 100 concentration of hy roxyl ions. It is, of

I course, immaterial how this hydroxyl ion larly adapted for dentifrice use since the j he solution as usually prepared and used contains one-half of one per oe'nt of the hydrated tri-sodium phosphate salt, one-half of one'per cent of sodiumchlorid and onetenth of one per cent potassium chloride This yields the-necessary hydroxl ion concentration and at the same time contains the sodium chlorid and, potassium chlorid in about the same proportions as the blood stream. This solution has substantially the same osmoticpressureas the blood stream,

and is consequently entirely non-irritant even-to sensitive tissues.

In using the solution'for hos ital purposes, 1t may be usedas simply a ilute solution -of the salt or salts above specified. When put up for sale as a dentifrice or nasal douche, I preferv to add a small quantity of 'mild aromatic antiseptics, such as menthol,

thymol, eucalyptol, and essential oils. These mask the disagreeable taste of the tri-sodium phosphate and add certain germicidal qualities. Such antiseptics also preserve the solution in a sterile condition.

The solution may be sold in dilute form ready for use or may be sold in a concentrated form, either as a concentrated solution to be diluted or as a powder to be dissolved by the user. It may also be sold in the form of a tooth paste or powder combined with an abrasive or polishing material which is chemically inert and which will not act as a mucin precipitant or coagulant. If put up in the form of a paste or powder, the alkali compound should be combined with a suficiently large quantity of inert matter so that when applied to the teeth with a brush a solution will be formed sufficiently dilute to avoid any appreciable salting out action.

While the mucin dissolving medicinal agent herein disclosed and claimed is particularly applicable to dental purposes and to be used as a dentifrice for removing the mucin plaques from the teeth, it' is to be understood that the invention is not so limited but may be employed for general physiological purposes where it is desirable to dissolve or wash away mucinous coatings. Neither is the invention limited to the specific chemical substances or their proportions as set forth in the preferred embodiment, but may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims. r

I claim:

1. A mucin dissolving medicinal agent for removing mucinous secretions adhering to surfaces of the body, containing a compound of an alkali metal yielding in water solution an alkalinity not less than a p value of approximately 9.5, substantially as de scribed.

2. A mucin dissolving medicinal agent for removing mucinous secretions adhering to surfaces of the body, containing a compound of an alkalimetal yielding in water solution an alkalinity not less than a p value of approximately 9.5 nor more than a p value of approximately 12.5, substantially as described.

3. A mucin dissolving medicinal agent for removing mucinous secretions adhering to surfaces of the body, containing a compound of an alkali metal which is non-irritating to mucous membranes and substantiall stable in water solution, and which yiel s in water solution an alkalinity not less than a-p value of approximately 9.5, said agent being substantially free from mucin precipitants or coagulants, substantially as described. p v

4. A mucin dissolving medicinal agent for removing mucinous secretions adhering to surfaces of the body, containing a normal or tertiary phosphate of an alkali metal, substantially as described.

5. A mucin dissolving medicinal agent for removing mucinous secretions adhering to surfaces of the bed containing tri-sodium phosphate and so ium chlorid in dilute water solution of such concentration as to form an approximately normal physiologi cal salt solution, said solution being sub- 'stantially free from mucin precipitants or coagulants, substantially as described.-

6. A dentifrice containing a compound of an alkali metal which does not attack the tooth structure and which yields in water solution as applied to the teeth an alkalinity not less than a p value of approximately 9.5, substantially as described.

7. A dentifrice consisting of a dilute water solution of an alkali metal which is non-irritating to the oral tissues, does not attack the tooth structure, and is substantially stable in water solution, said solution having an alkalinity of not less than a p value of approximately 9.5 and substantially free from mucin precipitants or coagulants substantially as described.

8. A dentifrice containing a normal or -tertiary phosphate of an alkali metal and substantially free from mucin precipitants or coagulants, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CLARENCE (J. VUGT. 

